Sardar Singh & Devendra Receive the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna 2017 Award
President Ram Nath Kovind conferred National Sports and Adventure Awards 2017 in a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel were among the dignitaries who were present on the occasion.
Punjabi University of Patiala were conferred the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2016-17.
The President also interacted with 14 young sports achievers who attended the award ceremony. Four of them were gold medalists in Asian School Championships for Athletics 2015, one gold medalist in Asian School Championship for Swimming 2016 and nine were gold medalists in gymnasiade conducted by International School Sport Federation in 2016. As many as 17 players were presented the Arjuna Awards.
Sardar Singh (hockey) and Devendra (Para-Athletics) received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna 2017 award.
The Dronacharya Awards 2017 were conferred on Dr. R. Gandhi (Posthumously, Athletics), G.S.S.V. Prasad (Badminton-Lifetime), Braja Bhusan Mohanty (Boxing-Lifetime), P.A. Raphael (Hockey-Lifetime), Sanjoy Chakraverthy (Shooting-Lifetime) and Roshan Lal (Wrestling-Lifetime). The Award for Late Dr. R. Gandhi was received by his wife Dr. Sailaxmi Gandhi.
Arjuna Awards 2017: Vennam Jyothi Surekha (Archery), Khushbir Kaur (Athletics), Arokia Rajiv (Athletics), Prashanti Singh (Basketball), Sub. L. Debendro Singh (Boxing), Cheteshwar Pujara (Cricket), Harmanpreet Kaur (Cricket), Oinam Bembem Devi (Football), Shivsankar Prasad Chawrasia (Golf), S.V. Sunil (Hockey), Jasvir Singh (Kabaddi), P.N. Prakash (Shooting), A. Amalraj (Table Tennis), Saketh Sai Myneni (Tennis), Satyawart Kadian (Wrestling), Mariyappan T.(Para-Athletics) and Varun Singh Bhati (Para-Athletics).
Cheteshwar Pujara selected for Arjuna Award in the discipline of Cricket is presently playing abroad and as such could not attend the Award Ceremony. He will be given award at some later date by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs & Sports.
Dhyan Chand Award 2017: Bhupender Singh (Athletics), Syed Shahid Hakim (Football), Sumrai Tete (Hockey).
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2017: Premlata Agrawal (Land Adventure), More Rohan Dattatrey (Water Adventure), Ashok Abbey (Life Time Achievement), Ved Prakash Sharma (Life Time Achievement).
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2016-17: Punjabi University, Patiala.
Rashtriya Khel Protsahana Purushkar, 2017:Identification and Nurturing of Budding and Young Talent: Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS). Encourage to sports through corporate social responsibility: Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO), Sports for Development: The Golf Foundation and Sports for Development: Reliance Foundation.
